______________________________________________________________________
Finally the reason for my spotty updates in recent times will come to
light: on Saturday, July 18, at 9:00am, my wife gave birth to our
first child, a beautiful daughter. We were back at home that evening
and everybody is doing well. It's been a few years since my University
student days and I'd forgotten what it was like to miss large chunks
of sleep; but now I get to relive that experience.
Anyhow, we'll see how well I do this week. The school term is coming
to an end. I give three more lectures in my course and my students
write the final exam on August 4. While I'll be using August to finish
off some research work and prepare for my new job, I'll also hopefully
be able to do a few of the things I've wanted to do on my web pages.
______________________________________________________________________
I do not offer subscriptions to a mailing list! I do not e-mail
images!
______________________________________________________________________
RAW RAW on 07/20/98 was a taped show with some strong points,
continuing the recent trend of essentially focusing on story lines. In
the wrestling matches, D-Lo Brown won the European Title from Hunter
Hearst Helmsley when Rocky interfered. This would seem to lead to
Rocky losing the IC Title to HHH at the PPV on Sunday; it also heats
up the issue between the Nation of Domination and DX. I'm not sure
that it helps give D-Lo any credibility. Steve Williams annihiliated
Quebecer Pierre in a BrawlforAll match. Again, nobody seemed to be
into it, but Williams did a good job, particularly for his age. The
BrawlforAll tournament brackets apparently work out like this:
First Round
______________________________________________________________________
Quarter Finals
______________________________________________________________________
Semi Finals
______________________________________________________________________
Finals
______________________________________________________________________
Steve Blackman
Steve Blackman (06/29 TV)
Marc Mero
______________________________________________________________________
Justin Bradshaw
Justin Bradshaw (06/29 TV)
Mark Cantebury
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
Savio Vega
Savio Vega (07/09 TV)
Brakus
______________________________________________________________________
Savio Vega (bye)
Hawk
draw (07/09 TV)
Darren Drosdov
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
Bart Gunn
Bart Gunn (07/16)
Bob Holly
______________________________________________________________________
Dan Severn
Dan Severn (07/16)
Kama
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
Steve Williams
Steve Williams (07/23 TV)
Quebecer Pierre
______________________________________________________________________
Eight Ball
2 Cold Scorpio (07/23 TV)
2 Cold Scorpio
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
It will be interesting to see what happens when Steve Williams & Dan
Severn meet. It's always possible that they'll shuffle the bracketing
to get that match as the final. The Observer reports that Severn & Ken
Shamrock were approached to be part of the tournament because the
powers-that-be knew it wasn't getting over. Shamrock refused and
Severn agreed, going out for his match against Kama with very little
notice. That explains why Severn seemed to not know the rules of the
event.
Steve Blackman pinned Jeff Jarrett. Owen Hart laid out Ken Shamrock,
who was at ringside. This seems to begin a build to the shooter group
of Shamrock, Blackman, and Severn, as they try to give the last two
guys the rub off of Shamrock.
They only showed highlights of the second BrawlforAll match, which
featured 2 Cold Scorpio beating Eight Ball. It didn't look good even
when we only had to watch a few seconds; you've got to wonder how bad
this one got for them to butcher it down to highlights. Rocky Maivia
beat X-Pac to retain the IC Title, when HHH interfered. Really,
everbody got involved.
Steve Austin faced Kane & Mankind in a triangle match, with Austin
taking Undertaker's spot. UT ran in and the match became a tag match,
the same one that they are selling for the PPV this weekend. Austin
ended up chairing everybody. Undertaker chaired Kane earlier, but they
tried to push that he was going for Austin. No decision was announced.
They learned a lesson from last week and only put Shawn Michaels out
for the main event; his commentary was horrible last week. The
Observer wrote, "As great a performer in the ring as he is, and he's
probably the most talented guy overall of our generation, he's
suffered a lot of concussions and while he can get away with being
flighty on interviews because it's in his character, it becomes too
freqeunt and scary a reminder of reality to see him for two hours
talking because he's too far out there. Ric Flair would suck as a
colour commentator also, bus as great as Ross has been this year, this
was the first week where WWF announcing was way below the standard of
WCW and the reason was Michaels."
In a weird angle, Jacqueline challenged Sable to come out and ended up
ripping her summer dress off, so Sable was in the ring in her
underwear. They seemed to push the idea that Sable & Jacqueline would
have a cat fight in their underwear on Sunday. Everything has to be
one-upped these days.
Nitro Nitro on 07/20/98 aired in full in Canada. Once again, the show
seemed to built around crap that nobody cares about. Worse yet, the
crap makes no sense as the focus. If they wanted to make Bill Goldberg
the star of the show when they passed the title to him, they needed to
put him front and center on TV in the focal issues. Instead it's about
Hogan and it's about Jay Leno. Argh.
First hour had two matches: Stevie Ray beat Johnny Bullet; Sick Boy
lost to Steve McMichael. The WWF can get away with delivering little
wrestling and having lots of talking and story line developments
because they actually give the time by-and-large to things that
involve wrestlers that fans want to see (read: Austin). WCW doesn't do
that. WCW wastes so much time on Hogan & Bischoff and then delivers
angles that the fans don't want, like Nash feuding with Hall.
Yuji Nagata beat Perry Saturn when Raven DDTed Saturn. The Flock came
in and attacked Saturn, but Kanyon rescued him. After the save, Saturn
laid out Kanyon. Sting & Kevin Nash lost the Tag Titles to Giant &
Hall when Bret Hart interfered. This was the beginning of making the
show about NWO Hollywood. At least, Bret Hart had a lot of the focus.
They seemed to indicate that Hart vs. Sting isn't far off. Masa Chono
& Great Muta beat Disco Inferno & Alex Wright, who make a great team.
Scott Norton ran in afterwards to lay out the losers and get the rub
off the Japanese team. El Ultimo Dragon beat Tokyo Magnum in a good
short match. Norton beat Jim Powers.
Eddie Guerrero faced Konnan. Chavo came in to end what had been an
okay match. Curt Hennig beat Lex Luger as NWO Hollywood continued to
get the focus and Hennig's image continued to be repaired after the
losses to Goldberg. Finally, Bret Hart beat Diamond Dallas Page to win
the US Title. Earlier on, Page had been laid out backstage, but he
came to the ring injured and never got any offence.
In the stupidest segment on the show, Eric Bischoff returned to his
late night talk show set and re-did Jay Leno's monologue from the
previous Friday. He also took a bunch of jabs at Leno. In some ways,
it was a good move. They spent a bundle on that set. Fans are going to
boo it, but now booing is the desired reaction. This will lead to Jay
Leno playing a major part in a WCW PPV, which will help get the name
out there even more. Of course, the problem is that none of this has
anything to do with good wrestling.
- The WWF has In Your House: Fully Loaded on 07/26/98. Tentative
line-up:
* Steve Austin & Undertaker vs. Kane & Mankind
* Rocky Maivia vs. Hunter Hearst Helmsley in a 2-out-of-3 falls
match
* Sable vs. Jacqueline in a bikini constest
* D-Lo Brown vs. X-Pac for the European Title
* Owen Hart vs. Ken Shamrock in a "Dungeon Match" that will
apparently take place in Stu Hart's dungeon, with Dan Severn as
referee
If the dungeon match is in fact slated to take place at Stu Hart's
home, you've got to wonder if the segment will be taped in advance. I
also guess that Helmsley wanted to pass the European Title to X-Pac
and D-Lo was picked as the conduit.
- All Japan has a Budokan Hall show on 07/24. Main event features
Kenta Kobashi defending the Triple Crown against Jun Akiyama in what
should be a match of the year.
- The Observer really laid into the main event of WCW's Bash at the
Beach, but still ended up giving the show a thumbs up, writing, "The
work rate underneath blew away a WWF show and the quality of the
wrestling underneath blew away an ECW show."
- The following article ran in the Toronto Sun last week:
An interesting event happened not long ago in, of all places, the
square circle of professional wrestling.
On July 6, Bill Goldberg won the WCW world heavyweight title from Hulk
Hogan on the Monday Nitro program on WTBS in Atlanta, Ga.
At first glance, I'm sure many of you are saying the same thing: "So?
Your point?"
Oh, I've got one.
Here is a person who went to the University of Georgia, and played
professional football for the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football
League.
He is a big man at six- foot-four and 285 pounds, and is quite
athletic in the ring. He has been wrestling for less than 10 months,
and has already made quite a name for himself with both the wrestling
organization and the fans.
In fact, the fans are always chanting "Goldberg, Goldberg" during his
matches.
It's quite a sight to see, actually. Very similar to the way people
used to cheer Hogan in the World Wrestling Federation in the 1980s.
But here's the kicker. All of these WCW fans - black and white, male
and female, of different religions are chanting and cheering for a
person with a distinctively Jewish-sounding name, although one wonders
if the same reaction would have happened had his name been Rosenblum
or Bronfman.
But that's another story.
Make no mistake about it: Goldberg, the son of a retired gynecologist
and former violinist, is Jewish, and proud of it.
As he told writer Blake Eskin of the U.S. publication The Jewish
Weekly Forward, "I'm thinking of requesting the Star of David on my
trunks, so I could be a more visible presence."
Now, there has been a long and storied history of Jewish professional
wrestlers over the years.
Goldberg is not the only Jew in WCW. He mentions the names of Raven
(Scott Levy), Dean Malenko (Dean Simon) and the more obvious Barry
Horowitz. In his view, the Jewish wrestlers "have a little bond" that
is often expressed through their knowledge of "dirty words. You know,
Yiddish." And he relishes in playing his new-found role to the hilt.
In fact, a recent issue of the WCW magazine mentions Goldberg's bar
mitzvah and even quotes him as saying: "I'm not the `stereotypical
Jewish person.' When you hear a guy named Goldberg, you think of
someone working behind a desk investing your money or something."
As for anti-Semitism, he has never heard a bad comment hurled his way.
Then again, would you dare to make a racist comment to someone who
could throw you halfway across a room with no effort? I think not.
However, just in case anyone was thinking about it, Goldberg told
Forward that he would go into the crowd after anyone like that,
stating that the organization "pays us a lot to wrestle, but they
don't pay us to listen to that."
You have to give the new wrestling champion of the world a lot of
credit. He has a good attitude about life, solid credentials about
tackling stereotypes and an unusual amount of respect for the
traditions of his religion.
Goldberg wants the world to know how he was brought up, but to see him
as a person rather than a novelty item.
So far, people seem to be infatuated with the aura that he projects.
One hopes this will continue for many years.
Now, I guess there are still a few of you who are saying, "I still
don't see the point you are making."
Allow me to summarize. I find it pleasant that in a utopian setting
such as professional wrestling, a fake sport produced solely for
entertainment value, we can all get along and chant the name of a
champion who is proud of his Jewish heritage.
It makes me feel that society is becoming more tolerant as the years
go along. We should all be pleased about that.
- RAW beat Nitro on 07/20 with a 5.0 rating versus a 4.4 rating.
The detailed ratings are a click away. I still haven't managed to
update them; but, hey, I've updated the PPV figures.
- PPV buy rates, revenue (in millions), and match statistics for the
WWF, WCW, and ECW are presented in the following 1998 summary sheet
(the PPV draw(s) are listed, as well as the quality matches):
Show Data Match Rating Data
Show Details Buy Rate Gross Mean Median Peak % >= * * * *
WWF
98/06/28: King of the Ring
Steve Austin vs. Kane
Undertaker vs. Mankind 0.85 $3.86 1.72 * 1/2* * * * * 1/2
Undertaker vs. Mankind 11.1%
(1 of 9)
98/05/31: IYH Over the Edge
Steve Austin vs. Dude Love 0.65 $2.90 1.06 1/2* * * * * 1/2
Steve Austin vs. Dude Love 12.5%
(1 of 8)
98/04/26: IYH Unforgiven
Steve Austin vs. Dude Love
Kane vs. Undertaker 0.85 $3.78 1.75 * * * * *
Steve Austin vs. Dude Love 14.3%
(1 of 7)
98/03/29: WrestleMania
Shawn Michaels vs. Steve Austin
Kane vs. Undertaker 2.20 $9.52 1.81 * * * * * * 1/4
Michaels vs. Austin
Cactus & Funk vs. NAO 0.0%
(0 of 8)
98/02/15: IYH No Way Out
HHH & NAO & Vega vs. Austin & Owen & Funk & Cactus
Kane vs. Vader 0.45 $1.67 1.43 * 1/2 * * * 1/2
HHH & NAO & Vega vs. Austin & Owen & Funk & Cactus 0.0%
(0 of 7)
98/01/18: Royal Rumble
Shawn Michaels vs. Vader
Royal Rumble 0.97 $3.62 2.38 * * 1/2 * * * 1/2
Royal Rumble
Max Mini & Nova & Mosaic vs. Battalion & Torio & Tarantula 0.0%
(0 of 6)
Last 6 1.00 $4.23 1.67 1.67 3.88 6.7%
(3 of 45)
1998 1.00 $4.23 1.67 1.67 3.88 6.7%
(3 of 45)
1997 0.61 $1.84 2.18 1.81 3.792 27.9%
(6 of 21)
Show Data Match Rating Data
Show Details Buy Rate Gross Mean Median Peak % >= * * * *
WCW
98/07/06: Bash at the Beach
Hulk Hogan & Dennis Rodman vs. Diamond Dallas Page & Karl Malone 1.6
$7.21 1.81 * * 1/4 * * * *
Juventud Guerrera vs. Billy Kidman 11.1%
(1 of 9)
98/06/14: Great American Bash
Hulk Hogan & Bret Hart vs. Roddy Piper & Randy Savage
Sting vs. Giant 0.8 $3.52 1.67 * * 1/4 * * * 1/2
Chris Benoit vs. Booker T 0.0%
(0 of 9)
98/05/17: Slamboree
Kevin Nash & Scott Hall vs. Sting & Giant 0.72 $3.20 1.92 * * 1/2 * *
* 1/4
Chris Benoit vs. Dave Finley
Chris Jericho vs. Dean Malenko
Eddie Guerrero vs. Ultimo Dragon 0.0%
(0 of 9)
98/04/19: Spring Stampede
Sting vs. Randy Savage
Hulk Hogan & Kevin Nash vs. Giant & Roddy Piper 0.72 $3.20 2.40 * *
1/2 * * * *
Ultimo Dragon vs. Chavo Guerrero Jr.
DDP vs. Raven 20.0%
(2 of 10)
98/03/15: Uncensored
Hulk Hogan vs. Randy Savage
Sting vs. Scott Hall 1.10 $4.12 1.69 * * 1/2 * * * 3/4
Raven vs. DDP vs. Chris Benoit 0.0%
(0 of 9)
98/02/22: SuperBrawl
Hulk Hogan vs. Sting
Outsiders vs. Steiners 1.10 $4.12 1.67 * 1/4 * * * 3/4
Juventud Guerrera vs. Chris Jericho 0.0%
(0 of 10)
98/01/25: Souled Out
Bret Hart vs. Ric Flair
Giant vs. Kevin Nash
Lex Luger vs. Randy Savage 1.02 $3.81 1.92 * * * * *
Chavo Guerrero Jr. & Super Calo & Lizmark Jr. vs. Juventud Guerrera &
La Parka & El Dandy 11.1%
(1 of 9)
Last 6 1.01 $4.23 1.87 2.21 3.71 5.4%
(3 of 56)
1998 1.01 $4.17 1.87 2.04 3.75 6.2%
(4 of 65)
1997 0.77 $2.45 1.96 1.98 3.813 5.9%
(6 of 102)
Show Data Match Rating Data
Show Details Buy Rate Gross Mean Median Peak % >= * * * *
ECW
98/05/03: WrestlePalooza
Shane Douglas vs. Al Snow
Sabu vs. Rob van Dam 0.24 $0.45 0.64 1/2* * *
Mikey Whippreck vs. Justin Credible 0.0%
(0 of 7)
98/03/01: Living Dangerously
Shane Douglas & Chris Candido vs. Al Snow & Lance Storm 0.23 $0.42
1.56 * * * * * 1/4
Buh Buh Ray Dudley & D-Von Dudley vs. Spike Dudley & New Jack vs. Axl
Rotten & Balls Mahoney 0.0%
(0 of 8)
Last 6 0.24 $0.44 1.13 1.25 2.625 0.0%
(0 of 15)
1998 0.24 $0.44 1.13 1.25 2.625 0.0%
(0 of 15)
1997 0.22 $0.38 2.10 2.50 3.583 10.0%
(2 of 20)
Looking at the 1998 data, doesn't that tell the whole story. Buy rates
and revenues are even for the year. WCW has a higher average match
rating and a substantially higher average median rating. But the WWF
has a slightly higher peak match rating. It's what been said time and
time again: WCW has the stronger undercards (accounting for that
median result). Looking at draws vs. best matches, we see it is the
main events that give the WWF shows their only real boost, again
agreeing with common opinion.
Longer-term data is available. The data now runs back to 1991.
A table of wrestlers who have delivered quality matches is also
online.
A small correction to the list from last week; I owe Mick Foley one
great tag match. Here's the revised list:
This lists every wrestler that has had three or more * * * * or better
matches on PPV since 1991. The stats are reported as (singles),(tag),
where (tag) includes any match involving three or more wrestlers. All
battle royals are excluded.
14,1 Shawn Michaels
13,2 Bret Hart
6,4 Steve Austin
7,1 Vader
6,2 Sting
Mick Foley
6,0 Rey Misterio Jr.
5,1 Ric Flair
4,0 Eddie Guerrero
Ultimo Dragon
Dean Malenko
Chris Benoit
3,1 Psicosis
Randy Savage
2,2 Brian Pillman
3,0 Davey Boy Smith
Kevin Nash
Owen Hart
1,2 Dustin Rhodes
Rick Steamboat
- WCW has Road Wild on 08/08/98.
- The WWF has SummerSlam on 08/30/98. Jerry Springer is expected to be
involved in the show.
- WCW has Fall Brawl on 09/13/98.
- The WWF has In Your House on 09/27/98.
- The WWF has In Your House on 10/18/98.
- WCW has Halloween Havoc on 10/25/98.
- The WWF has Survivor Series on 11/15/98.
- WCW has World War III on 11/22/98.
- The WWF has In Your House on 12/13/98.
- WCW has Starrcade on 12/27/98.
- Videos: I have posted something about the availability of videos. If
you missed it, I'll send it to you in e-mail upon request.
______________________________________________________________________
Thanks to: Masaki Aso.
______________________________________________________________________
If you have any feedback regarding my web pages, please send me
e-mail. Don't forget to delete the leading "x" from my e-mail address;
that "x" is my web spider spam guard.
______________________________________________________________________